Gay Penguins

[Trey of Diamonds]

Do you think animals can be gay? Do you they should have rights? Is the story quoted below just so much rubbish?

Gay penguins expelled from zoo colony for stealing eggs are given their own to look after following animal rights protest.

A pair of gay penguins thrown out of their zoo colony for repeatedly stealing eggs have been given some of their own to look after following a protest by animal rights groups.

Last month the birds were segregated after they were caught placing stones at the feet of parents before waddling away with their eggs.

But angry visitors to Polar Land in Harbin, northern China, complained it wasn't fair to stop the couple from becoming surrogate fathers and urged zoo bosses to give them a chance.

In response, zookeepers gave the pair two eggs laid by an inexperienced first-time mother.

'We decided to give them two eggs from another couple whose hatching ability had been poor and they've turned out to be the best parents in the whole zoo,' said one of the keepers.

'It's very encouraging and if this works out well we will try to arrange for them to become real parents themselves with artificial insemination.'

Wildlife experts at the park explain that despite being gay the three-year-old male birds are still driven by an urge to be fathers.

'One of the responsibilities of being a male adult is looking after the eggs. Despite the fact that they can't have eggs naturally, it does not take away their biological drive to be a parent,' said one.

One campaigner who did not want to be named welcomed the move and said: 'It wasn't fair to stop them becoming parents and keep them apart from all the other birds just because of the way nature has made them.'

Last month zookeepers said the couple were removed from the group not because of discrimination, but so as not to disturb the colony during hatching time.

 

[3.14]

wel there are always exeptions in the thousends

 

[UnTheist]

ew .

 

[Elessar]

Wait a minute - they protested after these animals STOLE eggs from other parents, and demanded that the penguinlets they KIDNAPPED be returned to them after they were returned to their proper parents?

That's not a condemnation of homosexual adoption, that's a condemnation of kidnapping.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Wait a minute - they protested after these animals STOLE eggs from other parents, and demanded that the penguinlets they KIDNAPPED be returned to them after they were returned to their proper parents?

That's not a condemnation of homosexual adoption, that's a condemnation of kidnapping.

Good point. Can gay penguins who are ex-kidnappers make good parents?

 

[Valjean]

Homosexuality has been observed throughout the higher animals. It's not uncommon.

There's a book about it, with numerous observations, that was mentioned on RF several years ago when this topic came up. I don't recall the author/Title.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

What I find interesting in this story is that the Penguins are gay because of their relationship rather than because they have sex. So many of the anti-gay crowd focus on the act instead of the relationship. I've seen animals perform gay sex but I haven't heard of any in a relationship.

So the question is, are these two penguins truly in a relationship or are they merely two males who can't attract a mate yet still feel the urge to raise young?

 

[methylatedghosts]

My neighbour has a bisexual bull in his herd of cows...

Brought up by gay parents, no doubt

 

[Quagmire]

Good point. Can gay penguins who are ex-kidnappers make good parents?

Guess you've never seen Raising Antarctica.

 

[3.14]

didn't wanted to bring it up but if even gay animals are criminals who can you trust these days

 

[TashaN]

So what if we have gay animals? what's your point?

 

[Father Heathen]

So what if we have gay animals? what's your point?

The point is that it's ridiculous to consider something that's natural to be "sinful". Nature takes precedence over superstition.

 

[UnTheist]

Why? Murder is natural.

 

[rojse]

The point is that it's ridiculous to consider something that's natural to be "sinful". Nature takes precedence over superstition.

Something being "natural" is no defense, Father Heathen - you should know better than that. Poison ivy is natural, but you won't see anyone cultivating it in their backyard.

 

[Smoke]

Wait a minute - they protested after these animals STOLE eggs from other parents, and demanded that the penguinlets they KIDNAPPED be returned to them after they were returned to their proper parents?

That's not a condemnation of homosexual adoption, that's a condemnation of kidnapping.

Yes, the zoo takes a principled stand against stealing eggs or kidnapping animals. It's an all-volunteer zoo, and all the animals are free to leave whenever they choose.

 

[Father Heathen]

Why? Murder is natural.

Animals kill in defense or for food. What animals kills out of sheer malice?

 

[Storm]

Chimps, and I believe other monkeys and apes.

There's also the fairly common event of killing the young when a new male takes over a harem. Lions, for example.

 

[Father Heathen]

Poison ivy is natural, but you won't see anyone cultivating it in their backyard.

That analogy is a bit nonsensical. And I'm talking about the concept of "sin". How can one be faulted for being something they have no control over?

 

[UnTheist]

Animals kill in defense or for food. What animals kills out of sheer malice?

Just because it's 'natural' doesn't mean it's good or neutral.

 

[Father Heathen]

Chimps, and I believe other monkeys and apes.

There's also the fairly common event of killing the young when a new male takes over a harem. Lions, for example.

Okay, point taken.